2 items - for more on the Krebs agenda:
http://members.tripod.com/~ngin/pants.htm
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UK MINISTER, WATCHDOG MAY CLASH ON GM FOOD LABELS
March 6/02
Reuters

LONDON - British environment minister Michael Meacher and the country's
Food Standards Agency (FSA) are set to clash on Wednesday over the labelling
and tracing of genetically-modified foods.

The European Union select committee in the House of Lords will hear
evidence from FSA chief John Krebs and Meacher on tough new EU proposals
planning compulsory labels for all food products made from gene-spliced
crops.

Meacher supports tougher measures, like those proposed by the EU plan,
while the FSA thinks such steps are unworkable.

Under the EU traceability proposals, any food product derived from a
GM crop must be labelled as such, even if the genetic material is removed
during manufacturing -- as is the case with some vegetable oils.

The UK food watchdog has said it is not convinced that the current EU
proposals could be delivered in a workable way and that consumers in general
would face increased costs.

It has called for a "GM free-label" which would only be used for some
foods and would cost consumers more if they choose to buy it.

"It seems reasonable to meet this specific market and for the cost involved
to fall on those who wish to exercise the choice," Krebs had said.

Meacher is expected to support more stringent labelling and traceability
requirements.

Critics have said the FSA proposals do not go far enough.

Environmental pressure group Friends of the Earth said that the FSA,
which was set up to protect consumers, "seems intent on taking that choice
away."

"Food has been GM-Free for thousands of years, but now the FSA say we
must pay more if we want to avoid this controversial technology," the group's
GM campaigner Adrian Bebb said.
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Web version:
http://www.foe.co.uk/pubsinfo/infoteam/pressrel/2002/20020306010542.html

Friends of the Earth will today challenge the Food Standards Agency
(FSA) to stand up for British consumers and demand better labelling of
GM foods.

FSA chief Sir John Krebs and Environment Minister Michael Meacher will
both give evidence today (Wednesday) to a House of Lords committee, on
new EU proposals for better labelling and tracing of GM foods.

The FSA has echoed both the US Government and the American Soybean Association
[1], by calling for weaker proposals as well as a "GM-free" label which
will only apply to a limited amount of food, which the FSA admits will
be more expensive. Meacher is believed to support more stringent labelling
and traceability requirements, making a clash between the two likely.

The FSA has said the EU proposals are unworkable and open to fraud -
but Friends of the Earth believes the FSA-proposed "GM-free" label
would be open to even worse problems.

Last week, US embassy officials giving evidence to the same committee
refused to accept European consumers' right to choose to avoid GM food
apart for voluntary schemes.

Adrian Bebb, GM campaigner at Friends of the Earth said: "The FSA's
position is appalling. They seem to be more interested in protecting
the biotech industry than British consumers. Food has been GM-free
for thousands of years, but now the FSA say we must pay more if we want
to avoid this controversial technology. The British public has made it
very clear that they want proper choice over whether or not to eat GM foods.
The FSA, which was set up to protect consumers, seems intent on taking
that choice away."

Notes:
[1] US Government evidence to the House of
Lords 27/02/2002 and letters sent to MPs from the American Soybean Association.